Summer reading challenge

Once again libraries in South Gloucestershire are inviting all 4 to 11-years-old to take part in the Summer Reading Challenge. This year’s theme is Animal Agents, based on a detective agency staffed by a variety of clever animals – furry, scaly and slippery – who are out to crack a case at the library with a little help from their friends. The challenge, which involves reading six books, runs until 16th September.

You can find out more about the challenge and a range of free activities running through the holidays at www.southglos.gov.uk/childrenslibrary

Find out more about fostering

South Glos are currently looking for foster carers for every background to care for children and young people who have had a difficult start in life. You can find out more at a Fostering Information Evening in Yate on Thursday 3 August. It runs from 7pm to 9pm at the Badminton Road Council Offices.

For more information, call the fostering team on 01454 866423, email fostering@southglos.gov.uk or visit www.southglos.gov.uk/fostering

Cutting waiting times by shutting out patients

Your Focus Team was shocked to learn that Sirona, who run the Minor Injuries Unit (MIU) in Yate, are being allowed to shut the doors to new patients when they're busy so they can meet their waiting time targets.

Of course there is no guarantee if you're redirected to A&E that you'll be seen any more quickly there than if you'd been allowed to wait at the MIU. Neither Southmead or the Children's Hospital are easy to get to from Yate, especially when injured. This seems to be about meeting targets, not meeting the needs of patients.

Claire Young is asking for your experiences of being turned away by the Yate MIU during the advertised opening hours. Please fill in our short survey  - the more evidence we have, the better we can speak up for you. We have already heard from a number of disgruntled users, including someone who travelled from Thornbury with two young children, only to be told they would have to go to Bristol Children's Hospital, and another who found the unit closed 2 hours early.

Climate change coffee morning

At 10am this Saturday, 29th July, the WWF are holding a Climate Change Coffee morning in the Ridgewood Cafe, Yate. This will be a chance to find out more about the Climate Coalitiion, how climate change is affecting the local community and what action you can take. You can find out more at https://www.facebook.com/events/408149509578801/

M4 Junction 18a proposals - ways to have your say

South Gloucestershire Council have published proposals for a new junction 18a on the M4. They are in the early stages of a feasibility study and you will have a chance to have your say in a formal consultation running for eight weeks starting the week commencing 21 August. You can pre-register your interest in the consultation here.

Last week Claire Young and other Focus Team members attended an open-air meeting at Pucklechurch about the junction. There is strong opposition there to the Eastern proposal, which would involve building a link road near the village. You can read what the Pucklechurch Parish Council has to say here.

There were mixed views expressed on the western proposal, close to the science park. Westerleigh village residents who attended were worried that EITHER option would lead to a big increase in traffic through their village. 

Unless there are proper connecting routes there will also be major effects on areas in South Yate and Dodington. We do not think any option should go ahead without action to prevent serious knock-on impacts on the surrounding roads and communities.

Early warning of train delays 16 and 17 September

On Saturday 16 and Sunday 17 September Network Rail will be testing the overhead wires in the Reading area, which will have an impact on all Thames Valley and High Speed Services.

What that means for people travelling from our area is that services will operate hourly from Bristol Temple Meads and London Paddington, with amended calling patterns and some extended journey times.

You can find out more here.

Traffic delays Sunday 30 July as giant transformer on the move

On Sunday 30 July National Grid will be transporting a very large piece of new equipment to Iron Acton substation. The lorry carrying it will be 57 metres long by 5 metres wide and weigh 231 tonnes. Due to the size and weight, the lorry will travel between 10 and 15 miles per hour.

The vehicle will start from Avonmouth Port in Bristol on 30 July at 9.00, arriving at Iron Acton substation in the late afternoon. It needs to avoid hazards such as weak bridges and narrow turning points, so the route is quite indirect:

Avonmouth docks - M49 - M4 - M5 northbound to Junction 13, then returning southbound to Junction 14, where it will exit onto the B4509.

Then Cromhall, Bagstone and Rangeworthy, and then following the B4059 until it reaches Latteridge village, close to its final destination.

If anyone has questions or concerns, they can contact National Grid's Community Relations team on 0800 073 1047. They are available seven days a week 7.00 – 19.00.

Bromley Heath viaduct works from 22 July - reminder and details

We’ve already reported on the works to the Bromley Heath viaduct on the Ring Road, which will have major travel implications across our area.

Although the Government was not prepared to stump up any more cash, the West of England Joint Committee did recently agree funding from the Local Enterprise Partnership Economic Development Fund (EDF) to reduce the work from 52 weeks to 33 weeks. So the extra cash is being taken from other regional projects, it's not "new money".

Traffic management will be put in this weekend, Saturday 22 to Sunday 23 July, and the actual maintenance work will start on Monday 24 July.

South Gloucestershire Council have put together some very clear web pages on the project here

One key issue is the best routes to avoid some of the jams. For example, to get to the M32 the Winterbourne route from Yate will be better than going via Coalpit Heath. The same web page shows the changes at Winterbourne traffic lights.

Temporary speed limit on A46 at Tormarton

South Glos Council is temporarily introducing a 40mph speed limit on the A46 for 450m north of the junction 18 roundabout from 24 July for the duration of the Bromley Heath viaduct works. They have already installed traffic lights to control the B4465 junction during that period.

Yate Spur cycle route progress (and delays)

There's good news and bad news about the long-awaited cycle track between Yate and the Railway Path, the cycling "superhighway" between Bristol and Bath. At the moment the Yate Spur only comes out as far as the T junction on Westerleigh Road south of Westerleigh.

• Westerleigh Road T junction to Broad Lane (Cornerways) - inside the farmer's field up to the former Cornerways Nursery - Construction starts this month, taking 4 months
• Broad Lane - has already been upgraded
• Broad Lane to Nibley Lane Corner - the "Westerleigh bypass" - being designed, awaiting funding
• Nibley Lane Corner improvements - recently consulted about - on hold until Spring 2018 because of expected heavy traffic during the Bromley Heath Viaduct work
• Section under railway viaduct to Westerleigh Rd mini-roundabout - being designed, awaiting funding
• Westerleigh Rd mini-roundabout to Yate Common - on hold until January 2018 because of railway embankment work near Chedworth

Once the section alongside Westerleigh Road to Cornerways is done, there will be a continuous link from the Railway Path to opposite Wot Not at the north end of Westerleigh. We are pressing for any outstanding maintenance to be carried out between Broad Lane and Wot Not - it tends to get overgrown from time to time.

Brinsham Park Event - fun for all the family

Come and join in this Sunday 16th July in Brinsham Fields from 1.00pm till 4.00pm. Bring your dogs along for a 'Fun Dog Show', 'Tempation Alley' and a Tug of War, free treasure hunt for all the children and other activities.  See you there?

Libraries to close temporarily for updates

Yate, Thornbury and Winterbourne Libraries will be closing for 2 weeks each to install the equipment for users to access them during unstaffed hoursunder the new seven-day-a-week opening arrangements, due to start in October. Borrowers will be able to gain access ith an upgraded library card.

If your local library is closed for a few days, you will be able to access another library relatively close by. You can still make reservations and renew books online and you won’t get a fine if your book is due back while the library is closed.

The project has been designed so that neighbouring libraries will not be closed at the same time.

The closing dates are:

• Winterbourne Aug 3 - Aug 18
• Thornbury Aug 9 - Aug 23
• Yate Aug 21 - Sep 5

Click here for more information about library services in South Gloucestershire.

New Youth Bus for Yate

Yate Town Council has launched a new Youth Bus sothat youth workers can get out and about and  keep in contact with local youngsters aroud the town. The bus is called the Urbie - the Urban Vehicle for Information and Education - and it replaces an older, smaller vehicle that the Town Council used successfully for many years.

Yate Town Council are very grateful for the support of local organisations and businesses including Merlin Housing Society, the Avon and Somerset Police Community Trust, Renishaw, One Stop Carriers for Causes, Sodbury and Yate Business Association and Yate and District Rotary Club.

Railway Inn site latest

As local people will know, the historic Railway Inn was recently demolished despite local objections. The pub sign now peeks rather sadly above the site hoardings.

The developers then submitted an application for outline planning permission, but South Gloucestershire Council has refused to accept this and asked for full layout details before takinga decision on the application. They have been given until July 6th to provide the extra information, or the planning officer will recommend that the application is turned down.


Yate Town Council has raised concerns about the parking arrangements, and has urged that the new building should be made to match the historic style of nearby premises.

Picnic, Play and Plan for Woodchester Play Area - Sat 15 July, 12pm to 3pm

Dodington Parish Council are inviting local residents to a Community Picnic at Woodchester Play Area to help them plan improvements. At the moment the Parish Council only runs the infants play area, but they are negotiating to take over the larger play equipment and the open space from South Gloucestershire Council.

"We would like local people's ideas on how to make the play area better" said Cllr Paul Hulbert "So we're running a 'Picnic, Play and Plan' session for residents - and their children! - to come along and meet us"

"We would like to hear from people of all ages. We're particularly interested in what of the existing play equipment people think works well, and what doesn't. Maybe people have seen equipment somewhere else that would be good at Woodchester"

"We're also keen to get community views on priorities for where money needs to be spent. For example, should we prioritise modernising the oldest equipment, or perhaps putting a fence round the whole play area to keep dogs out? Or do the teenager facilities like the basketball net and the goal need improving?"

"Light refreshments will be provided – please bring your own picnic. We’ll even have a barbecue going so that you can cook your own food. Councillors will also be happy to discuss any other local issues people have on their minds"

For more information, please phone 01454 866546 or email dodingtonpc@southglos.gov.uk

This will be one of the Picnic and Play events coordinated by Abbotswood Action Group.

Bromley Heath Viaduct - more cash, extra public meeting, but more chaos

Back in April we reported about the works to the Bromley Heath viaduct on the Ring Road. We are pleased to tell you that the West of England Joint Committee has agreed extra cash so that the works will be speeded up, so that the project (and the traffic problems) will only last 33 weeks rather than 50 weeks or so.

However the work is likely to have massive travel implications, particularly in the rush hour. Not only for people who use the A4174 but also for people who travel through Westerleigh or use the Westerleigh Road through Codrington  or the A432 through Old Sodbury. People are going to be using very different routes to try to give the chaos a wide berth, so travel changes as far away as the A46 are being put in place, e.g. the temporary traffic lights at the A46 / B4465 junction.

Traffic management will be put in over the weekend of Saturday 22 to Sunday 23 July, and the actual maintenance work will start on Monday 24 July.

Bearing in mind that the traffic diversions and holdups will affect drivers from our area, South Glos Council has arranged two more residents engagement meetings covering the proposed traffic management measures and recommended traffic routes:

• Longwell Primary School, Monday 10th July, 6:00pm – 8:00pm
• Dodington Parish Council Hall, Finch Road, Tuesday 11th July, 5:00pm – 7:00pm

Details of the project and the work involved are available at www.southglos.gov.uk/bhviaduct

Fire safety advice

South Glos Council has published some fire safety advice on its website, along with links to more comprehensive advice on the Avon Fire Service website.

Topics covered include:

• what to do if you have a fire
• preventing electrical fires
• preventing kitchen fires
• planning your escape route
• fire safety in blocks of flats 
• smoke alarms 

Well worth a read.